Thesis
This Article is on heavily debated issue of DWYL (Do What You Love) by Miya Tokumitsu. Writing for Jacob Magazine she discussed how DWYL is the official motivational slogan for employees of our time, but embracing this mantra is more dependent on the person’s socio-economic status. The issue with DWYL is that it devaluates work rather than salvation that includes dehumanization of majority of labourers. Straining yourself over finding your key to success can become a futile exercise and if you haven’t found the passion you can, chose to live a normal life like many do and call the search off. You should do what you can and focus your personality and strengths on it, rather than keeping your focus on DWYL (Tokumitsu)
Popular entrepreneurs like Steve Jobs and Mark Zuckerberg are role models for the DWYL trend, alongside many others who have become successful entrepreneurs by following their dreams. Miya Tokumitsu has pointed out many jobs have nothing to do with DWYL as they are done for a motive rather than love. I think the idea here is anyone who gets to choose and follow DWYL comes from the wealthy background. Tokumitsu has given example of professions like academia and journalism which, have eroded in past few years as people are expected to accept and work at low wages to be those lucky ones who got to follow their passion. Personally I believe that it sounds attractive enough to get paid while doing what you love, but this is unrealistic for many as they work for feeding themselves and their family. Above none of us love just one thing, then how can you pick just one thing. Choosing just one option can lead to a dead end, it is better to identify rare skills which, can be valuable at workplace and polish those skills to develop career capital for a better career.
Rhetorical Triangle
Ethos, Pathos & Logos
Structure of Argument
DWYL is Capitalism’s the perfect ideological tool that masks the exploitative labor mechanisms. The issue with DWYL leads to devaluation of work, rather than salvation and most importantly it dehumanizes vast majority of labours. Large swaths of labor are dangerously made invisible or degraded by DWYL, which allows most of us to live comfortably and just do what we love. I think it has also harmed professions that which we signify to celebrate. She explained that enjoyable work is everyone’s desire, but work that is emotionally satisfying is still work. She acknowledged it and didn’t undermine it (Tokumitsu).
Examples in Support
This statement gives the basic premise of this article, “DWYL (Do What You Love) has become the official work mantra for most of the working people. The problem with DWYL is that it devaluates work rather than salvation that includes dehumanization of a large majority of labourers” (Tokumitsu). Another one which signifies the degrading of labour behind the scenes is, "DWYL is the most ideological tool of capitalism”. It disguises our own labour and shunts aside other’s labour. It also hides the fact about acknowledgement of work as work, would set limits for performance (Tokumitsu). This statement denotes the devaluation of respected professions like Academia in terms of making a living from it, “Nowhere has the DWYL mantra been more devastating to its adherents than in academia”. The return for answering to a higher calling is a marketplace for academic employment where about 41% of the faculty are – adjunct professors who are contracted instructors receiving low pay, no office, no benefits, no long-term stake where they work and no job security (Tokumitsu).
Conclusion
Miya Tokumitsu has pointed out many jobs have nothing to do with DWYL as they are done for a motive rather than love. The idea here is anyone who gets to choose and follow DWYL comes from the wealthy background. It is not reasonable for everyone to drop their responsibilities and take the massive risk of following their dream. Tokumitsu’s appeals are effective in relating with the people who have family dependent on them might need to plan extensively for a transitioning to a new field or job. Do What You Love is catchy and simple for those who follow wish to their dream, but it is a realistic representation of what is possible – only if they succeed. For those who cannot afford to follow their dreams all they need to do is put their heads down and focus all their effort on adding career capital and value – so that they cannot be ignored.
